Microsoft reportedly entering smartwatch market, won’t be late to the party for once

In the wake of rumors flying about the infosphere that Apple and Samsung are both working on smartwatches — thus creating the smartwatch market — a new rumor suggests that Microsoft will also join the two prominent mobile manufacturers and develop its own touchscreen, wrist-based device.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Microsoft ordered watch-like components from suppliers in Asia, and an executive from one supplier claimed to have met with a research and development team at Microsoft regarding the potential device.

The executive claimed that Microsoft wasn’t sure if it would go ahead with plans to develop a smartwatch, though. Microsoft is no doubt keeping a cautious eye on the rumors and pre-fledgling market. The company has a tendency to jump into a market after it has already been populated; the Zune was late to the personal MP3 player party, the Surface was extremely late to the tablet scene, and Windows Phone seems almost like a begrudging afterthought on Microsoft’s part.

With the smartwatch market, Microsoft has yet another chance to get in on a scene while the market isn’t already divvied up. However, the company is most likely attempting to figure out if its past device failures (some of which can be categorized as “not an explosion of success” rather than a complete failure) are due to being late to the party, or because its not very good at making products that aren’t operating systems and game consoles. That said, being first to a scene as the scene is about to be populated by other companies — as opposed to a device being ahead of its time — is a great boon toward success.

This wouldn’t be the first time Microsoft attempted to create the smartwatch market. Back in 2004, the House that Windows Built teamed up with Swatch to create a smartwatch. The company’s goal wasn’t to specifically create one device, but to link up the common household through its Smart Personal Object Technology (SPOT). Coffeemakers, alarm clocks, and GPS units were included in the SPOT family, but the watch was the first device. It only survived for around four years, being discontinued in 2008.

Back in 2009, Samsung attempted a smartwatch before this new wave caught on, the S9110. It was fairly basic compared to modern-day mobile devices: it sported minimal phone capabilities, was a personal MP3 player, and had 40MB of internal storage. It seems that with the smartwatch — like how Nintendo’s DS recycled the dual-screen concept from the Game & Watch, or how Apple’s iPad somewhat recycled the failed Newton — everything old is new again when the world finally has technology sophisticated enough to support the original idea in a competent manner.

So far, the rumors of a Microsoft smartwatch are just reports from Microsoft’s suppliers. However, Microsoft has a long history of being late to a booming market, so perhaps this time the company learned its lesson and will get in on the ground floor. Hopefully, the company will be able to break out Mischa Barton again to show off the device, but this time pair her with Steve Ballmer.

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late to the party? if anything ms has a history of arriving too early.
unnecessary, badly executed snark just makes ET look amateurish. do better.

http://profiles.google.com/robert.graham.cook Robert Cook

And reveals a bias that makes it unworthy a reliable source for techies that would prefer not to be given their opinion.

Ray C

I agree if you listen to some people Steve Jobs invented the cell phone and all digital music file formats. Gates saw the mp3, smart phone, and tablet sectors coming a long time ago. The problem is until Windows Phone 6 and Windows 8, Microsoft didn’t realize that a tablet or phone modeled after Windows 98/XP was not the best move.

Meh. Too small of screen, has to be recharged nightly, and compared to a decent Casio doesn’t do anything special to warrant another computer device you wear at all times in addition to a smartphone.

Ray C

There is no need for it, but these crazy people who have to buy every iPhone and probably would buy x.5 iPhones if they came out, will buy these watches. Buying the latest and most hyped gadget ie anything Apple is the in thing now

Well done for mentioning this Frank, I can’t believe some of the so called “facts” in this article. I owned one of the Timex/Microsoft watches back in the mid 90’s. Also, Microsoft weren’t late to the smartphone market, they were one of the pioneers with Windows Mobile over 10 years ago!

Sinned66

I’ll believe it when I see it. With Steve Ballmer still employed at Microsoft don’t hold your breath. Biggest buffoon destroying a once great company.

Mario White-star

The most correct statement ever written on the internet…

http://www.jeffkibuule.com Jeff Kibuule

Microsoft’s problem isn’t being too late, but several years too early. See “SPOT Watch” or Windows XP Tablet Edition.

fteoOpty64

The problem with MS has been, even if there were early as you claimed, they did not have the stamina to evolve the product until it is good enough. If it did you have a MSwatch (with no phone but only BT and usb charge-sync) that will play nice with WP8 phone. A simple concept but doing is another things altogether!.

Ray C

I’m not sure if it’s so much too early as how they implement things. If you’re going to be first or early you have to make darn sure you make it where peopel feel like they have to have it.

jburt56

2015 looks like the start of the internet of things ramp up.

Max

Man that will be soooo much different then a nano on a wrist watch band or a iphone on a excercise band! Its such a huge leap in technology that my mind is blown! Blown i tell ya! Blown! Having a small zoolander size phone on my wrist is like sooooo next level!

Mario White-star

Came back Bill, I take back everything I ever said about you. They’re destroying Microsoft :(

smackbo

They wont be late to the party that noone went to .. Nobody wants or needs a smart watch “again”

Ray C

Need and want are two different things. People don’t need to buy the newest version of the iPhone, iPad, Galaxy, or multiple varities of the PS3, but they waste their money anyway.

smackbo

Haha thats true .. I was telling my buddy that smart watches are coming out soon. And he hasn’t even heard of it and now he is dying to have one. He’s not a big tech junkie but he always wants the coolest thing and he says he will buy one when they come out. So i guess you’re right. Tech people are like “why nit just pull your phone out of your pocket”. But normal people would really like a watch tjat tells them more than the time.

Robbie Yarber

Will it have red LED rings?

chojin999

Smartwatch Metro crap? No, thanks.

http://twitter.com/actiontvonline Jamtech

Smart Watches or more than time keeping they come with feature like cell phone wifi and much more

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